Follow the money!

Bobby-Henry,-Srpins-THIS-ONFollow the money!

 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.                                                                            Proverbs 25:26 (ESV )

 By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

By now I’m sure that those of you who profess to be in the know and are concerned about the equal access to a fair and excellent education for our students and a fair share of the funding from the $800 million General Obligation Bond have received an invitation to appear. This $800 million bond includes existing capital resources for improvements in Safety, Music & Art, Athletics, Renovation and Technology(SMART).

I have received an invitation to come out and support Broward County School Board Superintendent Robert Runcie and if God allows I will be there.

We are being requested along with members of our communities to  appear  at the May 17 Broward County School Board meeting from noon – 2 p.m. at the KC Wright Administrative Building, 600 S.E. Third Street, Fort Lauderdale.

Latest newspaper articles, discussions throughout school board meetings  and workshops make it essential that the Black community is represented on May 17. Our attendance will represent our voice and our support  for Mr. Runcie’s efforts to continue making improvements in low performing schools and working to increase MINORITY-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (MBE) and/or WOMAN-OWNED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE (M/WBE) participation in the business aspect of the School District.

I may not be the smartest person on earth nor am I the most inept, however I do believe that if we follow the money trail, we will find out the true reason for all of this hoopla.

We need to look further than Mr. Runcie’s attacks and innuendos from certain members of the School Board and those people that they have incited to join in on trying to prevent a fair share of everything that the Broward County School Board represents; equality of education, participation in business opportunities and a solid stake in the community.

It is worth noting that the same people who are orchestrating this road block to equal access, have also selected an opponent to run against Dr. Rosalind Osgood, in the person of Dr. Natalie Lynch Walsh who was appointed by School Board member Nora Rupert, District 7, to sit on the Audit Committee of the Broward County School Board. Not taking away from Ms. Walsh’s abilities, but timing is everything and it just so happens to be that Mr. Runcie is not a favorite of Ms. Rupert and she has had some run ins with Dr. Osgood.

If we were to ask the question: “How is it that Dr. Osgood is the only Board Member who has an opponent? Is it because Dr. Osgood has been championing the cause to get more minority /Black participation in getting contracts from the School Board or should I say “trying to get more contracts”? Or, could it be that Dr. Osgood does not mind asking for her District to be the in line at the top when that $800 million is being spent?

All we have to do is follow the money trail!

As we look deeper into this smokescreen, we need to ask the question; “If not Mr. Runcie, then who?” If the answer to that question is Chief of Staff, Jeffrey Moquin, we might need to buckle up our belts a little tighter and dig in for a fight.

I don’t necessarily agree with all of Mr. Runcie’s actions as a matter of fact, if you check the records you will see where I have questioned his actions before as it pertains too, who he listens to, which cause me to equate him to “the Emperor without any clothes”.

What we cannot have is a school board that will take us back to a time where Black people were subjected to inferior school buildings, teachers who needed a whole lot of training to deal with our students and the exclusion of Black businesses participating in the opportunity to do a substantial amount of business with the School Board.

These actions along with other things that did not exemplify “Fairness” resulted in a need to have the Department of Education and other legal sources to come to take a look at what was really happening here with the  Broward County Schools Board.

The district employs over 32,000 people, interacts with 270,000 students on a daily basis and accounts for the adequate manipulation of a three billion dollar budget with the charge of giving the best to our students, families and the business communities.

Mr. Runcie has been our Superintendent for five years. He has made significant improvements and this has been challenged by others. I would have to have had my head buried in the sand not to think that this day would present itself one way or another.

Yes, there is much work to be done and even more when it comes to the inclusion of all those represented within the scope and jurisdiction of the Broward County School Board and its responsibilities.

If we were to take a look at all of the accomplishments of Mr. Runcie and Dr. Osgood, we would certainly find that they have caused the pendulum to swing in a direction away from a lot of people who do not reflect the makeup of the majority of this school district.

We need to keep a closer look at this and at those who are acting like they care about our concerns.

Please come out on May 17th at the Broward County School Board meeting from noon – 2 p.m. at the KC Wright Administrative Building 600 S.E. Third Street Fort Lauderdale, Fla. If you are interested in speaking please call (754) 321-2390 to sign up.

About Carma Henry 24363 Articles
Carma Lynn Henry Westside Gazette Newspaper 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 Office: (954) 525-1489 Fax: (954) 525-1861

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